


Wild Card- Culture Shock

by TT40_Angst_Queen



Series: My Hurt/Comfort Bingo Card [1]
Category: NCIS
Genre: Wild Card Square
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-05
Updated: 2017-11-05
Packaged: 2019-01-29 15:27:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12633906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TT40_Angst_Queen/pseuds/TT40_Angst_Queen
Summary: “Let me guess boss, Petty Officer in Rock Creek Park?” Kate snorted at his guess. Even though she had only been with them for a few months, even she started to realize that those two things tended to pop up as their cases more often than not.Gibbs chuckled and shook his head, making Kate raise an eyebrow at the rarely heard sound.“No, DiNozzo,” the older man smirked, giving them a look that made Tony think he wasn’t going to like what Gibbs had to say.“Dead Gunny, in Africa.”Sometimes, Tony hated being right.





	Wild Card- Culture Shock

“Grab your gear,” Gibbs barked, making Kate and Tony jump. Kate still wasn't used to Gibbs and his gruff manner, only having been exposed to half of Gibbs’ usual grump when she first met him. Now that she actually worked with him, Kate was given the full force of the 'second B’ Gibbs.

 

Tony gave Kate a sympathetic look, which she returned with a small grimace.

 

“On your six, Boss!” Tony barked, leaning over to grab his bag.

 

Tony and Kate followed Gibbs into the elevator, and the ex-cop waited until the door closed and they started moving to start his inquiries.

 

“Let me guess Boss, Petty Officer in Rock Creek Park?” Kate snorted at his guess; though she had only been with them for a few months, even she started to realize that those two things tended to pop up in their cases more often than not.

 

Gibbs chuckled and shook his head, making Kate raise an eyebrow at the rarely heard sound.

 

“No, DiNozzo,” the older man smirked, giving them a look that made Tony think he wasn’t going to like what Gibbs had to say.

 

“Dead Gunny in Africa.”

 

Sometimes, Tony hated being right.

 

“You and Kate are gonna go to your car's, grab your Go Bags, and meet me at my car,” Kate's horrified face was something Tony would usually tease her about, but right now, Tony felt exactly the same.

 

“Yes, Boss,” Tony grumbled. There went his plans for a _Magnum_ marathon.

 

“Problem, DiNozzo?” Gibbs growled, his left eyebrow raised.

 

“No problem, Boss,” Tony grimaced. Gibbs glanced at Kate, his eyes boring into hers, making her wince.

 

“And you, Agent Todd? Anything you wanna say?”

 

Kate shook her head and met Gibbs’ eyes.

 

“No problem, Gibbs.” Gibbs smirked.

 

“Good, now skedaddle, get your damn bags and meet me at the car, you have five minutes.” Gibbs exited the elevator, both of the younger Agents exiting after him, before looking at each other.

 

“Skedaddle?” Kate asked incredulously. “Who says that anymore?” Tony shrugged.

 

“Apparently Gibbs, Katie.”

 

They split up, making their way at fast as they could towards their cars, Kate having more trouble since she parked in an out of the way corner. She was avoiding Kyle from Legal, who had developed a crush on her and would try to chat her up every moment he could. The man was persistent, but innocent. She would have reported him for harassment, but it was actually flattering. Besides, it was nice to get that kind of attention. She had thought Gibbs had been flirting with her before, but a couple of months working with Tony and Gibbs had cured her of that notion. Three months of putting up with the two men's unresolved sexual tension was an eye opener. It was nice to have someone flirting with her, even if she had no plans of returning Kyle's feelings. She had planned to tell the poor man she didn't feel the same way that weekend over coffee, as the guilt of leading him on was getting to her. But it looked like she was spending the weekend in Africa.

 

Great.

 

Tony on the other hand has parked not too far from Gibbs’ car. The older man parked in the same place every single day. The space was never used by anyone but Gibbs for two reasons:

1- Gibbs came earlier than anyone else in the building in the morning, except for maybe the Director himself.

2- Nobody dared parking in what was widely known as 'Gibbs’ parking spot’. They valued their car too much. Insurance was expensive.

Tony always parked near Gibbs, making sure that his own car was never scratched, since everyone else kept a six car difference on either side of Gibbs. Tony parked a good two space difference from Gibbs on his driver's side.

 

Kate and Tony met up by Gibbs’ car,  and only had to wait a few seconds before Gibbs was back from wherever he went, jumping in the front seat.

 

“Do you two need an engraved invitation?” Gibbs glared at them, and the two Agents scrambled to get in the car. Tony got in the front seat first, shooting Kate a smirk when she glared at him.

 

“First come first served, Katie-Girl,” Tony snickered.

 

“If you two are gonna’ bicker, I'm gonna _serve_ you both a head-slap, got it?” Gibbs snapped when they continued on ten minutes into the drive to the airport.

 

“Yes, Boss,” Tony scowled. Kate flushed and nodded her head, glaring at Tony with pursed lips.

 

“Yes Gibbs,” Kate mumbled, embarrassed.

 

The rest of the drive was, to Gibbs, blissfully silent.

 

***************************************

When they arrived in Africa, Tony was immediately thankful that he had thought to bring what he called his “Middle-Of-Nowhere-Can’t-Trust-Anything-Including-The-Water” kit. Basically, it was a heavy-duty first-aid kit that included a water-filter straw that they gave to people who lived in places with bad water. Along with water bottles, I contained several types of junk food, some trail mix, and extra shirts and a few blankets.

 

What? It never hurt to be prepared. He was pretty sure Gibbs had a rule about that somewhere.

 

Upon arrival to the airport, they were ushered to a Humvee by a silent dark skinned man, and once they were off, they were driven by an even more silent man in a Marine Corps uniform. Gibbs didn't seemed bothered by the horror movie-esque transport situation, ignoring the uneasy looks that both Tony and Kate shared when they realized that the Marine was driving them off-road into the middle of nowhere.

 

It was dawn the day after Gibbs told them they were going to Africa by the time the Marine finally drove them in what seemed to be a small African village in the middle of nowhere.

 

Tony took in the sight of the place as the silent Marine ushered them out of the Humvee and towards an unknown direction.

 

The village was small, the buildings more like huts than actual buildings. The huts were made out of mud and clay, with cloth sheets as curtains, each more threadbare and dirty than the last. The village was crawling with people in loincloths, face paint, and cloth robes, depending on the gender and age. Tony could hear laughter from children and a strange beautiful chanting from somewhere in the distance. The dawn light breaking over the horizon cast shadows and light in eye-catching patterns.

 

Despite the simple way these people lived, and the lack of material goods and money they owned, Tony could understand why they were smiling and laughing.

These people were more well-off then some people in Africa, but still poor and more often then not they went hungry. Yet still, the place they lived in was stunning, and the air clean of any contaminants from machinery, cars, and factories. Their lives were free of the worries most people had when living with mortgages, paperwork, job worries, and modern living. Everyone helped everyone, and they contributed to the whole village without complaint. They appreciated the smallest luxury, and never complained on what they didn’t have.

 

A simple, peaceful existence without fear and pain.

 

Until now.

 

As they arrived to the scene, the Marine finally turned and spoke to them, his voice deep and raspy, and Tony finally understood the Marines silence.

 

“Sorry about my muteness, Agent Gibbs, I lost most of my voice running drills with my squadron. I wanted to make sure I could explain the situation before I lost my voice completely.” Gibbs shared a knowing smirk with the Marine, and it reminded Tony that Gibbs had been a DI at one point. Something that Tony was reminded of whenever they were on a hot case.

 

“That's fine, Gunny. I remember that all too well. Bring me up to speed, I want that body transported to my ME back in DC.” The Marines eyes shot open wide, and he scratched the back of his neck.

 

“Look, Agent Gibbs, clearly you misunderstood when we called you in,” the Marine gulped “the body was taken.”

 

Kate glared incredulously at the sheepish Marine.

 

“Taken? By whom?” Kate snapped, irritated that they were given wrong information.

 

“By coyotes, ma’am. All that left are a few scraps. Actually, I’m just following my CO’s orders here,” he coughed, and looked Gibbs in the eyes. “The ME from the nearest city we could find told us he died from a bite to the jugular. He didn’t get the body packed up fast enough before the animals came back and carried it off. He was 100% sure it was death by wild animal. That’s why I was confused when my CO made me bring you all the way out here.”

 

 _Well. That's just peachy,_  Tony thought.

 

****************************************

 

They ended up flying all the way back, Gibbs seething the whole way. Getting back to DC meant plenty of paperwork, and it was a welcome relief when Gibbs finally let them go.

 

When Tony sat on the edge of his bed, he poked around his significantly lighter go-bag. bringing out his camera, he clicked through the recent photos. He stopped on a group photo of him and the people of the village.

 

Tony had his arms around two of the children, each of the young ones clutching a couple of chocolate bars and a shirt. In fact, all of the children had some sort of sweet, snack and/or clothing item, and even a few had blankets. Standing behind a crouched-down Tony was the village medicine man, or healer, holding the large First-Aid kit and water filter straw, a broad, joyful grin on his happy face.

 

He may have been dragged by Gibbs to Africa only to find there was no case, but he certainly gained a new appreciation for what he had.

 

The trip opened his eyes, and one day he would love to return and visit the village.

 

It would remind him that the evil in the world would always be outweighed by good.

 

When Tony fell asleep, he dreamed of smiling faces, laughing elders, and harmonious chanting.

 

He dreamed of peace.

  
  
  
  
  



End file.
